Certainly, as a movie extra, you may have a lot of opportunities to find out about the business, hear about opportunities coming up, and maybe rub shoulders with famous actors and actresses.

Because you don’t have to speak, and don’t need acting skills, anyone can become a movie extra.

Whether you are picked depends mainly on how you look.

You’re not going to be picked for a teenage vampire movie if you look like a bank manager unless they have a scene where they need a bank manager.

The advantages of being an Extra

As mentioned above, one of the advantages is that you may get to meet famous actors, directors, and the movers and shakers in the industry that could help you progress.

That can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And if you want to look into a film career, you’ll meet plenty of people who know a lot about the business. Fellow extras can probably point you in the direction of upcoming opportunities.

Another advantage is, unlike acting, you won’t be under pressure to display your talents.

In fact, for many movie extra jobs, you don’t even need an audition, you just need to look right.

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4. Search for “auditions” online

You can also include Craigslist in your search, sometimes there will be movie extra jobs advertised on it, particularly for last-minute requirements.

You may also find opportunities to appear in music videos and commercials advertised.

5. Check out the trade journals

Look for auditions in the help-wanted sections.

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area with movie studios, such as Los Angeles, you may even find such listings in the local papers.

6. Apply directly to specific films

If you know a film is currently being shot, you can try contacting the extras casting director.

Be sure to head your email inquiry “Extras Casting” so that it gets to the right department, and saves staff time.

7. Follow the casting agencies on social media

Finally, make sure you like and follow all the different agencies on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

This way you will stay in touch with what’s happening in the industry, and learn of possible jobs at the earliest opportunity.

Movie extras pay: How much do movie extras make?

There are many variables determining how much you get paid as an extra.

One of the major ones is whether you are the member of the union or not.

In fact, you’ll either work as a union extra, or as a non-union extra and will be paid differently even when doing the same work.

When you start out, you are automatically a non-union extra.

Union extra: The union is the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and the minimum daily rate for a union extra is $148. This would be for a regular working day of 8 hours, which means you would often be paid as much as $180 with an extended working day.

Non Union extra: But starting out as a non-union extra, you might expect to be paid $8 per hour, and you would only be employed after the required number of union extras were taken on. Rates can vary widely, so you may be paid 50% more than this.

There are other factors that affect how much you earn.

You may be paid for “bumps”, which are increases in pay for certain situations.

For instance, you may be required to do “wet work” or “smoke work”, which terms are self-explanatory.

If you’re fortunate, you may even need to step up to a speaking part, which means you’ll be paid at a much better rate.

Watch out for scammers

We all want to be in a movie or TV show so we are very susceptible to anything remotely resembling an opportunity for becoming a movie star.

Unfortunately, scammers know that!

And they use clever tactics to get money out of you leading you to believe you are going to be cast in some great show or movie.

Often, the scam starts with a real extra casting call, which the scammers take and then modify slightly so that you know they are casting for the film and it looks genuine.

The modifications may include changing the description of the extras required (perhaps to make it more general and inclusive), changing the dates for the casting call and changing the location.

If you reply, there will be some reason such as “priority access” that you need to send money or give your credit card info to be included in the casting call.

If you do, then instead of being paid to be a movie extra, you have just paid to not be a movie extra.

Final thoughts

Being a movie extra can be fun and rewarding.

Some people regularly do it as a hobby, with no aspiration to go further into films.

Others are keen to find the big chance.

Either way, it offers a way for you to enjoy yourself and earn money.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experience especially if you have ever gotten paid as a movie extra.

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Discussion

Sarasays

Id love to become a movie extra, I have family actually in the business so to speak. He is not a extra but he is on tv quite often and Ive always found it to be quite fascinating. If yall would like to give me a shot let me know! Im 20 years old, I have a daughter, shes 3, and im a full time college student.

Jamessays

I’m a truck driver I’m looking in to the movies industry to become an extra and hopefully more.I’m 35.I do ride motorcycles if that helps in some movies. I’m from Arizona my biggest goal is to be in the movies.I would even join the union.I have a southern accent.

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